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tightjeansjavi · 27 days ago

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Et Auream - Act I : The Gladiator

A/N: well, here we are! :3 I started writing this chapter back in July, right after the trailer for gladiator ii dropped, and I have since then gutted it completely and rewrote it start to finish 😆 I have to give a HUGE thank you to @sinsofsummers for being one of my many cheerleaders and for betaing. I love you so much pookie 🫶🏻

word count: 3.2k

Summary: It’s been 5 years since the passing of the late emperor Septimius Severus, who was succeeded by his sons, Geta and Caracalla. General Octavius and his forces continue their campaign against the Caledonians, and Acacius, one of the most fierce gladiators that Rome has ever witnessed, feels nothing but bitter resentment towards the emperors.

Pairing | Marcus Acacius x f!oc

Warnings: canon typical violence, brutality, enslavement, domestic abuse, power imbalance, violent punishment, language, alcohol consumption, +18 minors dni! Please let me know if I missed anything.

series masterlist | playlist

Translations: Dominus - Master voluit vivere - he wanted to live Praetorian - bodyguard of a Roman emperor

THE COLOSSEUM - five years after the death of Emperor Septimius Severus April, 216 AD

The thunderous chants from the crowd echoed deafeningly in his eardrums. Steel bars that imprisoned gladiators from the spectators in the Colosseum shook wildly from the crescendo of voices shouting in unison; KILL! KILL! KILL!

A hush fell over the crowd at the emperor’s silent command of a raised hand and thumb leveled to the side.

A man’s life hung in the balance between two young emperors. Caracalla was the younger counterpart by two years to his brother, Geta, and mercy would be granted only if they felt it was earned. But in reality, it depended solely on their moods.

The games were nothing short of barbaric, and the people of Rome loved the thrill of a brutal fight. The suspense, the bloodshed and sacrifice. This was entertainment for the poor and rich, young and old would flock to the Colosseum to watch men, women, and beast fight to the brutal death.

Emperor Geta pointed his thumb downwards, signaling another life ending, and the crowd erupted in deafening applause.

Acacius chanted a silent prayer under his breath to grant the soul whose life had just been snuffed out, safe passage to the afterlife. He flipped his sword in his hand and awaited the gates to open once more.

Geta reclined back on his golden throne with a satisfied grin plastered on his face.

“I expected there to be more blood,” Caracalla muttered alongside him, a pout formed on his thin lips. “He should have been gutted, his innards should have fallen to the ground!” he groaned in disappointment.

“You and your obsession with gore,” Geta responded with a roll of his eyes at his brother’s complaining. He reached for his chalice and brought the rim to his lips, but before he could take a sip, he was stopped by one of his advisors looming at the entrance of the viewing platform.

Cassius, one of Geta’s trusted advisors and a member of the senate, bowed quickly and reached into his tunic and pulled out a sealed scroll; a letter from the general.

“Caesar,” his nasally tone grated Geta’s ears.

“Cassius,” he responded flatly.

“This just arrived. A letter from general Octavius,” Cassius informed him.

Geta carefully tore the ruby colored wax seal off and began to read the written scripture. He had only reached the first sentence when he noticed that Cassius’s presence was still lingering. He waved him off, his eyes stayed glued to the parchment. “You are dismissed.”

Cassius bowed once more and turned on his heel quickly, leaving Geta to read in peace.

“What news does our general bring us today?” Caracalla asked.

Caesar,

Our latest battle was successful, but I have lost a few hundred men, and I myself have been injured, but the medicus assured me that it is not grave. The Caledonians have retreated, but I fear this is only temporary. My age begins to show and my bones grow tired and weak. My men will not continue to follow me if they feel that I am unfit to lead them. Discuss with Caracalla in regard to finding a man worthy enough to succeed my position as general when my inevitable death arrives.

I wish you and your brother fair health and prosperity,

General Octavius

“Our recent battle against the Caledonians was successful, but we have lost a few hundred men. The general was wounded, but not gravely,” Geta recited with a sigh.

Caracalla scoffed and shook his head. “We should abandon the campaign entirely like I had suggested after Father died. We are wasting precious resources and able bodied men, and for what?”

“Abandoning the campaign would disappoint our late father greatly. We promised him that we would not cease our attack until the Caledonians are defeated, brother,” Geta said in a low tone.

“He is dead, Geta. What does a dead man care about a campaign that was a disaster from the start? And now with the general wounded, our soldiers could turn on us at any moment! They will become unpredictable and restless without a leader,” Caracalla seethed.

“General Octavius suggested that you and I find someone worthy to succeed him when he inevitably passes either from injury or old age. I have a man in mind for the position, but you will detest it I am certain.”

“Don’t tell me you’re thinking of turning that gladiator scum into a general, brother. If anyone should succeed Octavius, it should be a worthy soldier in his ranks. Acacius is unworthy and unfit for the position,” Caracalla waved his wrist animatedly in disgust. Golden bangles that adorned his arms made a short, sharp, ringing sound from the sudden movement.

“And yet you love to watch him fight. He is one of our strongest and resilient gladiators. He is just as worthy as any soldier. The people love him, Caracalla. I intend to turn him into one of the greatest generals Rome has ever seen,” Geta countered swiftly.

“Of course I love to watch him fight!” Caracalla snapped. “He is one of the best that we have, but he will never be a general as long as I am still breathing.”

Before Geta had the chance to respond with something snarky, his attention was drawn to the start of the next fight.

The sun blinded Acacius’s vision as he stepped out into the arena when the gates were opened. The sun was scorching, and sweat already began to drip down the plane of his brow. His opponent was larger, broader than he was, but Acacius was swift, and able to recover in half the time. The crowd roared his name, stamped their feet and cheered at his entrance. His face was stoic, void of emotion to the wild chanting of his name.

His opponent, however, basked in their cheers like a preening peacock. A thirst for blood is what many of Acacius’s opponents experienced, but he was simply doing what he must do to survive another day. They thought that volunteering to be a gladiator would bring them riches and fame beyond their wildest dreams, until they would meet the cold kiss of his steel in their gut. Maybe he would feel the same swelling pride as they did if he had been given the option to volunteer.

The two gladiators walked to the middle of the arena and faced the viewing platform where the emperor’s and their subjects were seated. Their swords were brought to rest against the breastplate of their armor and they recited the words, “Hail Caesar, those who are about to die salute you!”

In another viewing box below the emperor’s, she was feeling the same level of disgust as Acacius was towards the brutality of the games. And like him, she was forced to participate by her Dominus, Cassius, who was enthralled by the games and even more-so when he knew that the sight of blood and violence nauseated her.

Her name was Aurelia; the golden one, although her life wasn’t very golden at all. She was Senator Cassius’s prized possession, his property till the day that she would inevitably die.

“If you keep your head hidden between your thighs any longer, you’ll miss the entire fight, Aurelia,” Cassius said condescendingly alongside her. His chalice of wine filled to the brim, and nearly spilled down the front of his tunic.

Aurelia bit down on the soft flesh of her inner cheek at his words. She gnawed on it until she tasted copper on her tongue. That is the whole point. Is what she wanted to say, but she remained silent in her distress.

Cassius rolled his eyes, not appreciating the way that she ignored him and he placed his hand around the back of her neck, his fingers slipped into the small space between the iron collar that was fit snug around her neck and tugged harshly, enough for her to wince from the uncomfortable tightness.

“I said,” he snarled against the shell of her ear, “you’ll miss the entire fight, my pet. It will please me if you watch. Do as your Dominus commands,” he released her neck from his unforgiving grip, finally. No one in close proximity to them batted an eye at the mistreatment she experienced.

Aurelia forced herself to watch the brutal fight. The sounds of steel clashing rang in her ears and from the viewing box, she could make out the details on one of the gladiator’s faces. His dark hair was cropped short and curled around the top of his ears. His skin, sun-kissed in gold, was littered with old and new scars traveling up the expanse of his arms.

She could not help but wonder how old he must have been when a sword was thrust into his hands and he was forced to kill another man and the emotional turmoil he must have felt after the adrenaline would inevitably wear off. She found herself gasping with the crowd when his opponent's blade grazed Acacius’s bicep, slicing the skin there just enough that beads of crimson wept through the laceration. Acacius gritted his teeth together, letting out a growl that was nothing short of animalistic and charged forward, his eyes set ablaze with determination.

Caracalla was seen smirking over the rim of his chalice. He was foolish to believe that a minor cut on Acacius’s arm was enough to deter him, but unlike his brother, Geta was locked into the fight. He leaned forward in his seat, his demeanor stiff and rigid.

The shield belonging to Acacius’s opponent was suddenly knocked from his grip, shattering from the sheer force of Acacius’s sword colliding with it. His opponent stumbled back, and dug his heels into the sand to keep himself upright, but without a shield to defend himself, he would have to rely on his strength alone.

Acacius flipped the hilt of his sword in his calloused palm and charged forward again with vigor. The sting from the cut along his bicep, and the dull ache in his shoulder drove him forward. He would not die today, this was certain.

Their swords met again and again until his opponent began to tire and Acacius went in for the kill, and with one swift kick to the abdomen, his opponent fell to the sand with a dull thud.

The crowd cheered, their fists raised towards the heavens as they chanted, “KILL! KILL! KILL!”

Geta rose from his seat and raised his hand above his head, and the crowd fell into a hushed silence at the sight of the emperor's thumb turning to the side.

Acacius could hear the blood that pounded in his ears as he stood towered over his fallen opponent. His brows were pinched together, his armored chest rose and fell rapidly from the energy he exerted.

His opponent awaited his fate, exhaustion written across his bloodstained face.

Acacius saw a boy when he looked into his opponent’s eyes. A frightened boy who isn’t yet ready to die, and he sees himself all those years ago. When the crowd erupted into cheers once more, Acacius did not need to see the Emperor’s hand to know what was being demanded of him. His fingers twitched around the hilt of his sword and he raised it above his head as if he were to bring it down upon his opponent for that final, devastating, fatal blow, but he stopped midway, and threw his sword to the side in defiance.

Aurelia’s eyes widened in shock. Out of every fight that she was forced to attend, never did she witness a gladiator defy an emperor’s demand so boldly. His defiance sent her pounding heart ablaze with a new sense of hope that she had not felt in ages. Acacius the merciful, they chanted.

“Kill him!” Caracalla cried out wildly in protest, his body lurched up from his throne. His shrill tone was like that of a child throwing a tantrum. The eldest emperor did not react, but Acacius could feel Geta’s harsh, disappointed glare burning holes into the back of his skull when he bent down and offered his hand to his fallen opponent who stared up at him in bewilderment.

“Take my hand,” Acacius whispered through the deafening cheers.

Carcalla leaned over to his brother and whispered, “what was that you said earlier about Acacius being worthy to succeed general Octavius?”

Geta could hear the grin appearing through his tone, but the eldest emperor gave no indication that he was unnerved by his brothers jabbing words, or Acacius’s defiance, except for the slight flare of his nostrils, and his left eye twitching, rimmed in darkened makeup.

The defeated opponent reached up with a grunt and clasped his hand around Acacius’s firmly. He lifted him from the ground with ease. When he looked up at the emperor’s viewing box, Geta was no longer standing there and looking down at him and a sinking feeling of dread for what was to come washed over him.

Aurelia watched the way he turned on his heel, his teeth gritted together in pain when his bad shoulder began to flare up and bother him. He subtly leaned his weight to his left side for some reprieve, though temporary. He did not reach down for his sword and walked past it in the direction of the open gates, disappearing behind them a moment later.

She paid no mind to Cassius muttering beside her about how blatant defiance should be punished and ‘rogues’ like Acacius should be terminated as quickly as possible.

Acacius was not even granted the luxury to even attempt to remove his armor when he heard the approach of many heavy footsteps through the corridor. He felt the sharp tip of a spear pierce the side of his neck, and before he had the chance to fight back, a hand harshly clasped down on his bad shoulder and the sudden, sharp pain that felt like a thousand knives were stabbing him at once, sent him falling to his knees.

Geta promenaded through his appointed guards and crouched down to Acacius’s level. His expression was placid, lacking emotion. Internally, he was furious, but he did a good enough job to hide it.

“Look at me, Acacius,” he said, his voice low and dangerously calm.

Acacius refused and he let out a sharp cry of agony when the Praetorian guard dug his fingers deeper into his shoulder and he finally drew his gaze from the ground and to the emperor’s hardened stare.

“Are you going to punish me?” he spat.

“No,” Geta said with a slight shake of his head.

“I defied you. I deserve to be punished, so fucking punish me,” he snarled through gritted teeth and the emperor couldn’t help but let his mask fall briefly. A smirk crossed over his lips.

“And do you believe that your deliberate display of defiance will shorten your servitude and grant you your freedom faster than the rest?” He gestured with his hand.

“No,” Acacius said grimly and his eyes lowered their gaze back to the floor.

“Look at me when I’m speaking to you,” Geta demanded.

Acacius glared up at him, his brows were pinched together and his lips were set in a harsh line. “He didn’t deserve to die. He fought just as hard as I did. That is why I chose to spare his life.”

Geta chuckled at this. “And yet, your opponent is out there right now, boasting that he won. Do you think that he is grateful for your mercy?”

“I do not care if he boasts that he won. I saw the fear in his eyes, Geta. He did not want to die. voluit vivere.” (He wanted to live)

“Everyone wants to live, Acacius. But you cannot save every person from their predestined fate,” He sighed and stood up and dropped his hands behind his back. “Do you remember the day that we met?”

“Unfortunately.”

“I asked you what you desired most in this life, and you told me that all you wanted was to be a free man, Acacius. Caracalla believed that you wouldn’t defy the odds that were stacked against you. He claimed that you wouldn't survive your first fight, but you proved him wrong. You showed strength, bravery, and resilience. Your courage has not gone unnoticed, and it is most admirable. I can make you a free man, I can turn your life’s legacy into something great—beyond your wildest dreams, but I require your trust and loyalty.”

Acacius wanted nothing more than to laugh in his face, but he wouldn’t give Geta the satisfaction. Instead, he steeled his expression and despite the pain in his shoulder, he sat up straighter, his nostrils flared and his jaw clenched, “you will never gain my trust and loyalty for as long as I live.”

“I pity you, Acacius. You refuse to see the potential for greatness that you possess. Your hatred for Rome, and the man that tore you from your mother and the life you knew, into a life shackled in servitude, clouds your judgment. I granted you mercy five years ago. I could have casted you aside, let you fend in the streets like some feral beast till your spirit eventually fades, and still you refuse the hand that I am graciously offering you.”

“Mercy?!” Acacius barked out a strained laugh. “That’s what you believe that you granted me?! If you were merciful, you would have freed me! Instead, you have forced me to fight for your own entertainment. The games are a spectacle for the people of Rome. You bring them bloodshed and brutality and they love you for it.”

“They don’t just love me, Acacius. The people of Rome love you. Do you not feel a sense of pride when they chant your name? Acacius the great! Perhaps even the greatest gladiator that Rome has ever seen!” Geta exclaimed.

“I never wanted to be a gladiator. I never wanted to spend my life killing men who share the same circumstances as I. I-I wanted my life to be different. I don’t want greatness. I don’t desire wealth or materialistic pleasures,” He whispered solemnly and Geta imagined a boy, no older than thirteen, and already so broken when he looked at the man kneeling before him.

“Then I implore you to rethink your strategy to gain your freedom. Defy me all you choose, but if you continue down that route, you will either die in that arena, or rot in a cell till you inevitably die. The choice is yours, and for your sake, I hope you choose wisely. Nothing is permanent, Acacius. Remember that.”

“If the gods wish for me to die in the Colosseum, or bound in the chains that you put me in, so be it.”

Geta said nothing more, and he turned on his heel to walk away. His guards awaited his command, but he did not address them. That’s all Acacius could think about when the guards surrounding him took it upon themselves to punish him. His wrists and ankles were shackled in iron, and he didn’t make a sound, or flinch when the crack of a whip rang loudly in his ears as it was brought down against his back and shoulders. His already tarnished tunic had been ripped down the middle, exposing his scarred skin. The pain was soothing, in a morbid fashion. The feeling of his flesh being marred, and blood dripping from the open wounds should have caused him to cry in distress, but he took his punishment in complete and utter silence.

He did not give them the command.

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#Et Auream #pedro pascal #pedro pascal characters #marcus acacius #general marcus acacius #marcus acacius fanfiction #marcus acacius fic #marcus acacius x oc #emperor caracalla #emperor geta #gladiator ii #gladiator 2 #gladiator 2 fic #gladiator 2 fanfiction #tw enslavement #tw domestic abuse #tw violence

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khaire-traveler · 11 months ago

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The Nine Muses

This is a very simple post about the Muses in hopes of explaining who they are, what their domains are, and some things they may be able to help with. This post isn't a deep dive by any means - just a simple introduction. Enjoy!

Who are the Muses?

The Muses, or Mousai, are goddesses of inspiration for various creative, scientific, and poetic endeavors. They were believed to also have knowledge of all things that have come to pass, remembering events with clarity that mortals could not hope to have. Their names are Kalliope, Kleio, Ourania, Thaleia, Melpomene, Polymnia, Erato, Euterpe, and Terpsikhore.

In total, there are nine Muses. The god Apollon was often believed to be the leader of the Muses, having a very close connection with them. The goddess Artemis was also paired with them.

Their origin and family varied depending on the source, but the most common notion was that Zeus and Mnemosyne are their parents and that they were born at the foot of Mount Olympus. Some other possible parents are Ouranos and Gaia, Zeus and Plousia, Pieros and Antiope, or even Apollon.

Poets of the past used to invoke the names of the Muses in hopes of gaining inspiration and the ability to gracefully convey their words. When a connection was drawn between them and Apollo, they were also known for their prophetic abilities as well, even being said to teach the art of prophecy.

What are each of their domains?

Kalliope - The eldest of the Muses, she is the goddess of eloquence and epic poetry. She is often considered the mother of Orpheus. She was depicted with a tablet, a scroll, or (later on) a lyre. Her name has been translated to mean "beautiful-voiced".

Kleio - Wise and intelligent, she is named the goddess of history. In art, she was often depicted with an open scroll or chest full of books. Her name was translated as "to make famous".

Ourania - Associated with the stars, she is the goddess of astronomy and astronomical writings. She has been depicted pointing at a celestial globe with a rod, but I wasn't able to find more information on her symbols. Her name means "heavenly one".

Thaleia - A goddess that helps bring joy to the world, she is the goddess of comedy and bucolic poetry. She was also considered to be the mother of the Korybantes (a group of seven demigods). She was often depicted with a comedy mask, a shepherd's staff, or a wreath of ivy. Her name has been translated as "festivity" or "blooming".

Melpomene - Holding a domain more somber than the Muse above, she is the goddess of tragedy. She was named the mother of the Sirens by Apollodorus. She was depicted with a tragedy mask, a sword, a wreath of ivy, or cothurnus boots. Her name likely means "to celebrate with song (and dance)".

Polymnia - With a name meaning "many hymns" or "many praises", it's no surprise that she's the goddess of religious hymns. She was often portrayed in a meditative pose.

Erato - A Muse that needs no introduction, she is the goddess of erotic poetry and mime. She was often portrayed with a lyre. Her name means "lovely" or "beloved".

Euterpe - Likely full of rhymes and reasons, she is the goddess of lyric poetry. She was often depicted with a double flute. Her name likely means "well pleasing" or "giver of much delight".

Terpsikhore - Filled with music, she is the goddess of choral song and dancing. She was often depicted with a lyre and plectrum. Her name has been translated to "delighting in dance".

Kalliope - Speaking presentations, writing essays, script reading, reading/writing informational posts/articles/etc., interpreting poetry, poetry writing/reading, sharing your own poetry, communicating clearly with others, important conversations, coping with conflicts, addressing conflicts, making peace with others.

What are some things they can help with specifically?

***These are merely suggestions.***

Kleio - History exams/tests, studying classics/history, delving into your own history, discovering family history, recalling past events, writing myth retellings or similar, identifying patterns of behavior, releasing the past, learning from the past, finding hope for the future.

Ourania - Studying the stars/space, story-telling, understanding the universe around us, memorizing constellations, finding peace in the night, finding hope in the darkness, creating goals for yourself, "reaching for the stars", holding onto your wishes, finding a sense of direction.

Thaleia - Creating your own joy, finding what makes you happy, performing stand-up comedy, writing any form of comedy, play-writing, healthy positivity, learning to laugh things off, releasing stress/burdens, moving forward, expressing your joy.

Melpomene - Coping with hardships, moving through difficult times, releasing the past, forgiving oneself, coping with past mistakes/regret, healing from difficult events, coping with the "downs" of life, play-writing, telling tragic tales, addressing difficult topics sensitively.

Polymnia - Writing devotional poetry/hymns/songs/etc., growing closer with religion/devotion, inspiration for offerings/devotional acts, coping with religious difficulties, finding comfort/joy in religion, connecting with the divine, religious/spiritual writings, connecting with your practice.

Erato - Love letters, confessing your feelings through writings/songs/etc., connecting with sexuality, writing/reading erotic stories, communicating sexual needs, establishing/discovering sexual boundaries, sex positivity (especially through literature), embracing your sexual interests.

Euterpe - Writing poetry, interpreting poetry, communicating one's emotions, romanticizing life, sharing poetry with others, devotional poetry, expressing one's feelings through writing, processing emotions, finding the "right word" for a piece you're writing.

Terpsikhore - Song-writing, learning to dance, expressing yourself through dance/song, connecting with music, processing feelings with musical aid, instrument playing, choral/instrumental performances, writing a musical, musical theater, finding your voice, embracing who you are, expressing yourself.

#the muses #mousai #helpol #hellenic polytheism #hellenic pagan #muses

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taro-pdf · 4 months ago

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Humans are space oddities: exploring disability, communication, and humanity’s job in space (minimal ableism!)

Humans fill various roles in the broader universe. They work jobs from pet to protection, depending on the client. For the vast majority of beings, humans' adaptability and generalist lifestyle was feared.

Kell was lucky to be born on a human-claimed world and they were even luckier to have parents who supported them. It wasn’t going to be easy working with non-human crewmates, but at least their parents found them a safe ship to start on.

When they arrived at the dock, a tall, winged creature stood waiting for them.

“Hello,” it greeted in ASL. Kell looked at them in surprise. ASL? From a non-human? “I’m N-O-X, Nox, moth cryptid, she/her/any. My friend signed me up to be your translator for this trip, since it’s your first time.” Having less fingers than Kell, it was a challenge for them to read her finger spelling, but not impossible.

“Nice to meet you. I’m K-E-L-L, Kell, human, they/them, they replied. I didn’t realize I would be getting a translator.”

“I didn’t either, but I’m always up for something new. Come aboard!” Nox turned and walked onto the ship. Kell followed, bemused.

On board, Kell’s glasses transcribed spoken Universal Interplanetary Language into scrolling text, but Nox’s translations got the tone across in a way that spoken language wouldn’t be able to. With her help, they were able to easily ask and answer questions, and their crewmates had a lot of questions!

“What do you specialize in? All the captain said was you’d be working with Janmia,” asked a tuscian.

“Have you seen your lodgings yet? I printed out some human decorations for you, such as the human fruit: pineapple!” said a yuto.

“Do humans usually speak with their hands?” asked a creature that Kell didn’t recognize. All they could tell was it was quadruped.

“Not all of us, but some can. What was your name again?” they prompted.

“I didn’t tell you. I’m Seva, bromid, she/her. My kind greets each other by exchanging scent signatures, but humans can’t do that so let me at least smell you.” Seva didn’t wait for an invitation to stick her nose way too close.

“You can say no, you know?” A human leaned over Kell’s shoulder, their words appearing on Kell’s glasses.

“Ok, then no thanks, Seva!” Kell backed up as Nox translated. Seva hesitated but the new human glared and she backed off.

“Hey, what’s up with the hands?” the human walked around to see Kell’s face better.

Why was a human of all beings so judgemental? Kell grimaced, but replied, “I’m Deaf, it’s sign language. Nox is helping me now, but I’ll text with coworkers when she’s not here.”

The human looked at Nox as she spoke, then at his watch transcribing her words.

“I can’t hear her vocalizations, but my watch picks it up,” they explained. “I didn’t realize she signed.” Nox flattened her ears and said something else to them; they rolled their eyes and turned to Kell.

“She’s always telling me what to do. But yeah, I need to introduce myself. Prak, human, he/they. I’m the main security on this ship.”

“Kell, human, they/them,” Kell offered. “I didn’t realize humans were actually a thing in the security industry. I’m here as an engine and turbine technician.”

“Our durability makes us pretty good at the job. I didn’t realize humans ever were not involved with security.” Prak glanced at his watch as a message popped up on screen. “Anyways, gotta go. Welcome aboard I guess.” He turned and walked into the crew sleeping area.

Even though Kell couldn’t see them, his words still were transcribed by Kell’s glasses. And from Nox’s startled posture, she heard it too.

“FUCK! Who printed out a pineapple???”

Notes: Kell, Nox, and Prak are all OCs of mine and I wanted to put them in space! Kell was created for this HaSO story and I feel like I haven’t wrote about them in forever. Prak was made off a prompt that said to make an OC who hates pineapple and won’t tell anyone why (it’s partially because a pineapple killed his father, shh…). He left earth to avoid them. I need to figure out the timeline of how all my OCs meet because it’s a bit convoluted.

#I like Kell a lot #but Prak’s story is way funnier #pineapple on pizza #yes or no #humans are space oddities #HaSO #humans are space australians #humans are space orcs #humans are space fae #humans are weird #sci fi #sci fi writing #oc writing #disability in space #kell #nox #Prak #my writing

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ruibaozha · 11 months ago

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The Inconsistency of Nezha's Age, a Short Introduction.

Put very bluntly, Nezha’s age varies greatly depending on which story you’re reading and who’s retold it. He is not always a child or an adult depending on retelling, though my intention here is to highlight the sheer variety available first and foremost - and perhaps shine a light on the Indian dieties which may have influenced him. If these varied images are unwanted, please keep scrolling.

I happened to stumble upon a timeline error where Nezha’s brother Muzha is described to be using martial arts weapons referred to as “Hooks of Wu” which were specific to the 1800s, quite a long time after Canonization of the Gods was published, but also originating from a time period where numerous varied editions of that story were in circulation. Upwards of twenty different versions exclusive to the 19th century, actually.

The problem arises that Canonization of the Gods is meant to be occurring during the Zhou Shang conflict, that I will generously assume to be in 1045BCE, centuries before the Hooks of Wu would actually exist. It’s completely possible that the version Gu Zhizhong translated was one of these later editions as is makes no chronological sense for Muzha to have those kinds of weapons to begin with. So I have been on somewhat of a rabbit chase trying to pin down the edition Gu Zhizhong used.

Bearing such errors in mind, it’s easy to see where the confusion of Nezha’s age can come from. Before his origin story was integrated within Canonization of the Gods he would be roughly three to seven days old when his conflict with Ao Guang and the Lady Rock Demoness would occur - whereas within Canonization of the Gods he’s actually 6 or 7 years old.

Outside of that, a definitive age isn’t actually provided. Genuinely, within the scope of Chinese folklore and mythos it’s very rare to assign someone an exact age - which I do believe contributed heavily to the known discourse surrounding Nezha’s age to begin with.

He was imported as an adult from India, a child form not seeming to exist for a while until stories of Krsna were integrated to how the Chinese envisioned Nalakubara. Krsna, being an infantile disguise for the notorious Vishnu, also displays supernatural human strength and is actually successful in killing his father figure (1) — unlike Nezha.

As children, both Krsna and Nezha are able to wield heavenly bows and subjugate water spirits (2) while also being known to be dragon tamers (3). The inclusion of these stories to Nezha predates the sculpting of the Quanzhou Pagoda’s (which have been discussed briefly here) and are arguably the earliest evidence of Nezha being a dragon tamer.

Speculatively a child god combination of both Nalakubara and Krsna named Nana is likely where a majority of Nezha’s child attributes come from, based in the Scripture of the Supreme Secrets of Nana Deva - which would see translations within China during the Northern Song period of 960AD-1127AD. Nana would be described thus:

At that time there was a Deva called Nana. His appearance was exceptionally handsome, and his face beamed with a gentle smile. He was holding the sun, the moon, and various weapons. His numerous treasures and abundant jewelry shone more brightly than the sun and the moon. He made himself a luoye robe (4) from the dragons Nanda and Upananda, and a belt from the dragon Taksaka (5). He possessed the same strength as Narayana (i.e. Visnu). He too came to the assembly and sat down facing the Buddha … At that time the Buddha emanated great light from his dharma body of meditation. The light covered the entire Buddha Universe, reaching all the great evil yaksas, the various types of raksasas and pisacas (6) and all the evil dragons as far as the heavenly constellations. When the Buddhas light shone upon them they all awoke to the truth. The Buddhas light returned to him and, after encircling him three times, entered his head. It then reissued in seven colors from his brow, entering Nana-Deva’s head. When the Buddha light penetrated his head, Nana Deva displayed an enormous body like Mt. Sumeru. His facial expression alternated between terrifying anger and a broad smile. He had a thousand arms, and he was holding a skull (7) and numerous weapons. He was handsomely adorned with a tiger skin robe and skulls. [Mightily Strong] He emanated blazing light and terrifying strength. When Nana Deva displayed this divine body, the great earth shook, and all who beheld him were terrified.

Both Nana and Nezha share the same residence of Vaisravana’s palace, are known dragon tamers, and both were known to use belts. The Supreme Secrets of Nana Deva predate all known connections between Nezha and dragons, perhaps lending to Nezha many more elements than initially believed.

Though without concrete evidence stating one way or another, I can only present this information speculatively - especially as it seems difficult for some to understand that Nezha does enjoy a known adult and child form. This answer has already become quite long, so if there’s still confusion regarding this please feel free to ask for more details.

Bibliography:

(1) Goldman, “Fathers, Sons and Gurus,” pp.350, 364; Masson, “Childhood of Krsna”; Ramanujan, “The Indian ‘Oedipus’”; Silk, Riven by Lust, pp. 164-170.

(2) Harley, “Krishna’s Cosmic Victories”; Matchett, “Taming of Kaliya”.

(3) It’s worth comparing Matchett’s “Taming of Kaliya” p.116 with Canonization of the Gods 12.103. Nezha is five days old within the Ming era Sanjiao yuanliu shengdi fozu sou shen daquan, p. 326.

(4) Luoye is the Chinese term for a garment Indian men tied under the armpit, leaving their right shoulder bare. See Xuanzang, Da Tang Xiyu ji, T. 2087, 51: 876b, and Li Rongxi’s translation, Great Tang Dynasty Record, p.53.

(5) Nanda, Upananda, and Taksaka appear in various Buddhist lists of the eight dragon kings; see Foguang da cidian, pp. 6378,6405.

(6) The rakasas and pisacas are two types of Hindu ogres, who Buddhists demonology incorporated. Both types feed on human flesh. See Foguang da cidian, pp6673-6674 and 3851; Monier-Williams, A Sanskrit-English dictionary, pp. 871 and 628; and Strickman’s survey of Buddhist demonology in his Chinese Magical Medicine, pp. 62-68.

(7) Geboluo appears frequently within the contemporaneous Chinese translation of the Hevajra Tantra (Foshuo dabeikong zhi jin’guang dajiaowang yigui jing), no. 892 volume 18: 587-601.

(8) Zuishang mimi Nana tian jing, no. 1288, 21:358b-c. hi

#nezha #li nezha #lmk nezha #monkie kid nezha #the legend of nezha #nezha 2019 #nezha reborn #nezha lego monkie kid #third lotus prince #lego monkie kid

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entamesubs · 2 months ago

Text

How the Fansubbing Process Works for entameSubs

The delays have brought about speculation and misinformed assumptions of how our work is done.

This post explains our entire process to put this misinformation to rest, and also informs those curious of how fansubbing works.

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For those unaware, each subbed episode comes with a section of credits at the very end that are specific to that particular episode. For example, EP124 was translated and timed entirely by me (entame), while EP122 was translated jointly by tessa (batsugeemu) and yona (angelthinktank), while I took a proofreading role. Each episode's credits are different, and I always make sure to credit properly based on who worked on what.

Step One: Translation

The job of the translator is to just get from point A (Japanese) to point B (English). One full run-through of the script, no stops in-between. Work is not edited, proofread or checked in any way, it is simply translated and then moved onto the next phase of the assembly line, so to speak.

Leave typos in, leave mistakes in, leave phrases you cannot translate or parse alone and move on. Awkward or literal translations are fine. The goal is to finish the whole script. A couple lines missing here and there is fine - they will be caught later. The first step is just to get it done.

Translating a full script can take anywhere from 2-6 hours, depending on the episode or any extraneous circumstances. To be clear, 2-3 hours is the absolute fastest that it can possibly happen, and it is an outlier. I can count the amount of times it has taken 2-3 hours on one hand. Those are usually reserved for our dedicated "speedsub" episodes, where we have everyone on deck to work continuously, without break. This is not a norm, nor should it be assumed so.

A normal episode will usually take around 4-6 hours working time to translate. Sometimes this is done a couple hours on one day, and another couple on a separate day. Sometimes it's done all in one sitting. It varies depending on the translator's schedule.

Step Two: Proofreading

After that, the proofreader then goes through for a second or third watch to do edits and checks. The proofreader is strictly in charge of making sure the translation itself is correct as well as fixing any missed lines from the translator. Grammar, typos, various other minor corrections are not expected to be done in full here, the main job of the proofreader is to just make sure the Japanese to English translation is complete, correct, and makes sense.

Is the subject correct? Is this the right verb to use in English? Are they talking about themselves or someone else? Is the context the original translator took correct/accurate? A second/third pair of eyes is essential to making sure everything comes out properly.

The translator may mark specific lines that stumped them or they need a second opinion on for the proofreader to pay special attention to. Maybe the translator can't think of an appropriate way to make something work, or need pun ideas.

Proofreading and translation roles are entirely switchable on request, because both proofreader and translator must know Japanese.

Step Three: Timing

At the same time, the timer begins the tedious work of timing the subs to the episode itself, making sure sentences show up at the correct place, for the right amount of time.

They ensure subs cut at scene changes, that the lines shown on screen are properly broken up if a character pauses, and are instering forced line breaks where necessary so subs don't awkwardly fill the entire length of the screen and are instead always centered.

Step Four: (not) "Final Check"

"Final Check" as I'd like to call it, is always done by me. Once proofreading and timing are both done, the sub files are sent to me.

I add in the opening and ending, I do all the fancy text effects if need be (such as scrolling text, rainbow text, gradient text, translating signs or posters shown on screen and blending them into the episode, etc - this is all under "Typesetting"), and I also do a third check of the script on a watch through to further edit any lines that may feel awkward to read on screen or I have thought of a better translation for.

The state that the subs come in pre-final check are subs that only contain the very middle of the episode itself. This means the prologue, the opening, the ending, UTS Report and preview are entirely unsubbed, alongside any signs or extraneous text on screen. Subs are not done pre-final check. There is a reason they must go through me first and that is because I am the only typesetter on the team.

To be clear, timing and typesetting are two entirely different skill sets. Getting the subs timed properly is one thing, getting the subs to look nice, flow well, and not feel awkward to read is another.

Typesetting is usually known as an "invisible" job. When it's done poorly, you notice it. If it's done well, you don't.

At this point, I also go over and double check things like character voice and make sure it's following our style guide. While this is a consideration made during step one and two as well (translating and proofreading), this is the point where things are tightened up.

Extraneous TL notes may also be added here in-episode if needed.

Step Five: Quality Checks

After everything has been bundled together and ready-to-go, it gets sent to our Quality Checker for the very last and final run-through. QC checks spelling errors, typos, grammar, weird English, missed casing, missed lines, style guide errors, etc.

The QC does not need to know Japanese (though it is a nice bonus if they do!), they only need to know English so they can check for grammar and weird phrasing. At this point, all of the translation work and check has been done, it is just making sure stuff makes sense to an English audience now.

After QC sends in their changes (or lack thereof), the timer usually goes back to fix up the final file for publishing.

Step Six: Distribution & TL Notes

Finally, the person who hits publish and uploads the episode file to all relevant sites is me, since I know how to setup, run, and seed torrents.

A lot of people may not know this, but all anime pirate sites (R.I.P.) pull their content from Nyaa's feed. If it's not on Nyaa, it won't be on a pirate site. In order to actually ensure proper distribution of the episode, it needs to be uploaded through Nyaa. Once it is on there, the pirate sites will all update of their own volition.

Translation notes, if any are necessary, are also written entirely by me, even if the episode may not have been translated by me initially. These are usually only written if I have time or if there is a specific concept/idea that I really want to make sure comes across properly.

Final Words

I hope this gives you better insight into the entameSubs process and how episodes are usually worked on/made.

A lot of our team is scattered across different timezones, with one person being 9 hours ahead, and another one being 6 hours ahead. This means things are done at different times and at the leisure of whoever is in charge of their role. If someone is busy, then there is nothing else anyone can do but wait.

It may be that after waiting for someone to finish, someone else in the chain becomes busy, and the process of waiting starts all over again. Steps are done like this so that we have appropriate checks in place. This is just how it is. None of us are paid, and all of us are doing this for fun.

Most of all, I take a lot of pride in the team's work. If something is not up to snuff, or I don't feel comfortable publishing it until we've been able to correct something that's been bothering us (whether that's a line, typesetting, or etc), it doesn't get published. These subs are not just "my" translations, but the work of the whole team.

Call it arrogance, but I'd much rather put out something we're proud of than something rushed through the wringer just for the sake of getting stuff out. You may disagree with lines or certain translations, but they are our work at the end of the day.

And it is a lot of work.

Thank you.

#yugioh #yugioh go rush #go rush #yugioh sevens #announcements

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mah-t-wordblog · 3 months ago

Note

maybe lee muichiro and ler obanai/ and snake???????? THANK U

What are you laughing at?

Lee: Muichiro Tokito

Ler: Obanai Igoru, Kaburamaru

❤️🧡💛💚🩵💙💜❤️🧡💛💚🩵💙💜❤️🧡

Ships: NONE

Warnings: This is a tickle fic, if you don’t like it, just scroll down

This fanfic is originally in Portuguese, my English is translated using an automatic translator, if there are any big errors you can tell me so I can fix them

❤️🧡💛💚🩵💙💜❤️🧡💛💚🩵💙💜❤️🧡

Muichiro and Obanai were just about to train, they weren't at the usual meeting place, but at Obanai's house, the same place where the hashira trained Tanjiro and the other hunters

"Shinazugawa isn't coming?" Obanai asked

"No, him crow told me”

"Then it'll just be the two of us, I have a training idea"

The two entered the room where Obanai was teaching agility techniques to the hunters

"Do you want to train a little of agility?" The snake hashira proposed

"What do you mean?"

“This is where I train, but there are usually hunters trapped here,” Obanai said, pointing to the large wooden bars that are spread around the room. “These pieces of wood are used to simulate trees, for fighting in places full of obstacles.”

Muichiro was still processing the fact that Obanai traps weaker hunters on stakes, poor Tanjiro.

“What do you say?”

“Sounds great.” Muichiro got into a fighting stance and stood in front of Obanai, with a wooden bar between the two of them. “Let’s go!”

Obanai did the same stance.

The two jumped at the same time. Obanai’s sword certainly had a considerable advantage because he could distort it, but Muichiro wouldn’t let himself be defeated easily.

The younger boy jumped over the man and ended up stabbing him in the shoulder. Of course, it was a light attack so as not to really hurt him, but Obanai didn’t expect that he would be defeated by the boy in his own space.

“I won! Haha!” The teenager celebrated

Obanai was irritated, but kept his cool

But then Muichiro, like anyone his age, started celebrating

“I beat you in your own training center! I won!”

“Stop talking like it’s impressive” Obanai rolled his eyes

The little boy laughed “What’s wrong, Igoru? Are you mad~?”

The snake hashira started staring at the other with a dark look

“Yeah… Igoru? It was just a joke” Muichiro was starting to get nervous

“Five”

“Five? Five what?”

“Five seconds for you to run”

There was no need to say it twice, the younger boy took off running as if his life depended on it

And soon the count, and Obanai’s patience, ran out

The man ran after the other, the two dodging the wooden beams, playing cat and mouse

“Please Igoru!”

“Run”

It was harder than expected for Obanai to catch young Muichiro, but he didn’t give up

Extending his arm, he slid his snake, Kaburamaru, and made it jump towards Muichiro, and the serpent reached the boy before the hashira

Kaburamaru found a hole in Muichiro’s clothes, which were quite loose because of his fighting style, and began to circle the boy under his shirt

“What?! Nohohoho!” Muichiro fell, he couldn’t run anymore, because the scales of that snake incredibly tickled his body

“You caught him, huh, Kaburamaru?” Obanai laughed

“Pleheheashehe nohohoho” Muichiro writhed as the snake moved wherever it wanted on his body

“Ah Tokito” the snake’s hashira sat down next to the other “but this has only just begun”

Obanai joined his snake, crouching on the ground and tickling Muichiro’s belly area

“AHAHAHA OK OK I’M SOHOHOHORRY”

“You’re too arrogant for someone with so many tickle spots”

Muichiro tried to grab Kaburamaru to at least make him stop, but the snake was too fast

“I wasn’t even going to get mad at you for beating me, but when you started teasing me, it seemed like you were begging for it”

“SHUHUHUT UHUHUHUP”

Obanai laughed “where did you learn that dirty language? Did Shinazugawa teach you?”

“PLEHEHEHAHASEHE IGOHORUHU”

“Do you think he’s had enough, Kaburamaru?”

The snake came out of Muichiro’s clothes and climbed up Obanai’s arm until it wrapped itself around his neck as usual

“Okay then, if you think so” the snake’s hashira stopped

Muichiro sighed and calmed down

“I’m sorry” he laughed “it’s just that you get so funny when you’re angry”

Obanai rolled his eyes “want another round?” He said making a move to get closer again

“NO! No! I’m fine!” Muichiro ran away, standing up

“Let’s go, kid, sitting here won’t help us train” Obanai said, standing up and walking towards the same place where they started training

“Ok!” Muichiro followed him

And they continued with the hard training until sunrise

❤️🧡💛💚🩵💙💜❤️🧡💛💚🩵💙💜❤️🧡

Thanks for reading 💛💛

#tickle fic #demon slayer tickle #demon slayer tickling #kny tickling #lee!muichiro #ler!obanai

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eddiemunsonspantschain · 1 year ago

Text

The Boyfriend Experience - Ch.2

Author's Note: I'm sorry this took me like 289380 billion years to finish. I hope you guys like it

Word Count: 5.9 k

Pairing: Eddie Munson x Reader

Warnings: Depression, loneliness, isolation, negative thoughts and emotions but fluff to make up for it

You do not have permission to copy, translate or repost my work onto other sites or social medias. This work is my own and it is owned by me.

Nothing was happening. At this point, you thought Eddie had forgotten all about his ‘Boyfriend Experience’ proposal. Since that night in your apartment, Eddie hadn’t done anything. You had both seen each other, too. So it wasn’t for the lack of being around one another. Once a week the party gets together to hang out. Sometimes it was a movie night, sometimes an excursion to do other activities depending on the season. It was getting closer to fall. The heat was starting to break and cool down more and more in the daytime, staying nice and chill in the evening. You loved this transition into fall. All the things of comfort that you loved. Comfort food, soft blankets and scary movies. It made you happy. However, you also found yourself thinking of Eddie. When you curled up on your couch with a horror movie on and some good food, your mind wandered to how nice it would be to have someone with you. Before, it used to be a vague idea of a ‘someone’. Just wanting another body next to yours, enjoying the same things that you enjoyed. But now? Now all you could think about was the warm smell of Old Spice and brown curls out of the corner of your eye.

Your hope that you had shamefully attached to Eddie without him knowing was starting to dwindle fast. The more time that passed without him bringing up his plan or doing much of anything with you made that hope fade and fizzle out. Eddie was still nice to you, of course. Like he always had been. He talked to you, included you in the conversation with the group when you grew quiet and off to the side. He even gifted you a little affection when in front of the others. It dawned on you one day that he probably didn’t want to do anything because of the others being around. Of course, it made sense! Why would he want everyone to know he had done something with you? Kissed you? It all made sense now. Even if a small voice at the back of your mind said Eddie wasn’t that type of guy. But you weren't the one most wanted.

You went through phases like the one you were in now. You were fine with being alone a lot. You had been and felt alone for most of your life. Not many friends, no romantic partners, and just faded into the background. You grew accustomed to loneliness. However, every now and again, you yearn. You yearn for companionship. Wherever you could get it. You once again found yourself in that position. Yearning. As you scrolled on your phone, you saw a few Instagram posts from friends, liking and commenting on some things. You chuckled as you spotted a photo of Nancy and Jonathan looking at puppies in a pet store. You transitioned to your messaging app, texting Nancy asking if she and Jonathan were planning on getting a puppy now that they lived together. After a few more minutes of scrolling, you decided to set down your phone and get some chores done.

You spent time dutifully cleaning your apartment. You always felt better when your place was clean. Too cluttered with mess made you feel like you coudn’t think or focus. However, you decided to take a break from running around busting your ass and sat down with some water, picking up your phone. You went to see if Nancy texted you back since you had texted her a while ago. No new messages. You opened up your text to Nancy.

Read: 2:17 pm

You looked at the time on your phone. 5:45 pm. You deflated, setting your phone aside. ‘Maybe she’s just busy’, you tried to rationalize. But the tiny voice in the back of your mind told you otherwise. No, she just didn’t care enough to answer. You sighed, going back to Instagram seeing another recent post from Nancy. So she was on her phone. You tossed your phone across the couch. To anyone else, this wouldn’t be a big deal. You were being too sensitive, you tried to tell yourself. You took the pillow from behind your back and shoved it on top of your phone as if it would somehow silence the bad thoughts swirling in your head.

When things like this happened, you knew it was time to step away. If you continued the way you were, you would only get hurt. So you ignored your phone for the evening. Sometimes, that helped, but sometimes it didn’t do much to ease the thoughts swirling in your mind. Instead, you tried to stay positive. The next day, you decided to venture out of your home. You got dressed in something that made you feel comfortable. A large black hoodie, some black leggings and your red boots. Large and comfy, not wanting to feel self conscious today in any way. You found yourself wandering back to Family Video to rent some movies. When you walked inside, Steve and Robin weren’t alone.

All the gang, minus the kids, were there talking about something. When you walked in, Eddie was the first one to look up and see you. You smiled softly at him and wandered over to the horror movie section. Seconds later, Eddie was there.

“Hey, sweetheart.” he greeted, leaning against the shelf of movies.

“Hey, Eddie. How’s it goin?” you asked as you pulled a few movies from the shelf.

“Pretty good. Work’s keeping me busy,” he sighed, “But money is good. Means I can do more fun things.”

“Oh yeah? Like that?”

He grinned. “Spend it on something or someone I care about.” He shrugged, as if his answer meant nothing.

You looked at him, raising a brow before frowning. “If you think you’re gonna be spending any money on me, put that back in your head.” you warned, and Eddie sighed dramatically.

“C’mon, babe.” he murmured and moved closer. “Can’t treat my best girl to something?” Best girl. His best girl.

You shook your head. “You’re a ham, Eds.” you told him, bumping your shoulder with his as you head back to the counter. You placed the old movie you rented on the counter, adding the new ones to be rung up, too. Steve jumped to take care of your movies.

“So we can all leave here by six tomorrow? Should make it there on time. Maybe get a motel for the night?” Nancy suggested to the group, the others nodding along.

“There something going on?” you asked them.

Eyes turned to you as Nancy nodded. “We’re heading to the city to go and check out this club.” She answered.

“You’re all going?” you asked, glancing around the group as the others confirmed they were going. “Oh,” you murmured and silence followed.

“We know clubbing isn’t exactly your thing. That’s why we didn’t invite you.” Steve supplemented when the awkwardness began to kick in. You thanked whatever god was out there that you managed to control your face quick enough when you realized everyone was looking at you. You felt the ache in your chest of being excluded. Clubbing wasn’t Jonathan’s thing either, yet he was invited. Eddie didn’t like clubbing either unless it was somewhere that played music he liked. Yet, he was invited. You managed to school your face into a neutral expression. Neither happy nor sad. Just nothing. You felt the familiar burn of tears threatening to make themselves known and averted your eyes to the top of the counter. You dug into your pocket and handed your money to Steve. This was the second time now you’ve come into Family Video and had your feelings hurt. Maybe next time you’d rent somewhere else…

“Have fun.” you murmured with a small smile, taking your movies and swiftly exiting the store. You didn’t make it very far before tears gathered on your lash line. You got to your car and pulled open the door, sliding into the driver's seat and tossing the movies into the seat beside you. You took a long, shaky breath and turned the ignition. You saw the door to Family Video open up, Eddie stepping outside. You already pulled out of the parking spot, turning and heading back to your house before you could even think about what Eddie wanted. He most likely was stepping out for a smoke since Steve had had to yell at him in the past for trying to smoke in the store.

—----------------------------------------

Eddie was trying to take things slowly. He realized with his proposal that he might have come on too strongly. He didn’t want to scare you. No, he wanted this to work out well. Not scare you off before he gets the chance to get close to you. So he kept a little distance. He hadn’t meant to be as distant as he was as work took over his life. He wanted to see you. He missed you. He cherished it when he’d get to see you at least once a week at group functions. Eddie was invited to Family Video by Steve, something about plans they were making. So he had gotten dressed and hopped into his van, driving over to Family Video. When he walked inside, he saw everyone but you and felt the disappointment take hold at not seeing you standing with everyone else. He wandered up to the counter and scrunched his nose hearing a club mentioned. The only time Eddie liked going to clubs was if they played the music he liked to listen to. He wasn’t fond of the usual shit the clubs played. He’d go just to have some overpriced drinks and smoke inside, but otherwise he had no stake in it. He agreed to going, assuming that you had also been invited but weren’t here to make plans for it. You usually went along with whatever plan was made beforehand.

When the door opened and the bell went off, Eddie looked over and grinned at seeing you walk inside. Of course, as soon as you broke off to go look at movies, he followed after you. He hadn’t seen you in two days, not that he was counting. He walked with you back to the counter and when you had asked what was going on; it hit him that you weren’t in on the plans to go to a club in the city. The second that ‘Oh’ left your lips, he wanted to hug you. Hearing the sad tone was enough to crack his heart. At Steve’s words, Eddie couldn’t help the prickle of annoyance in his chest. They knew he didn’t like clubbing either, but they had invited him. He knew the last time you all went to a club you had practically stuck to whoever was closest to you, not wanting to be left alone with all the drunk strangers.

Then Eddie saw it.

He had been looking at you and after Steve’s words he saw the flash of hurt on your face. It was in your eyes and on your face for all of half a second. Then he saw your face melt into indifference. Nothing shows on your face to betray your feelings. He just watched you go stone cold in seconds to cover how you felt. But he knew. He saw it. He saw the hurt and rejection. Even your tone as you told them to have fun held no emotion in it. The smile you offered was one to throw them off. Then you were gone. Eddie watched your retreating back and he looked back at the others. They seemed none the wiser. Eddie knew that they had good intentions. That they didn’t want to make you feel uncomfortable in any way. However, he couldn’t shake the feeling he got seeing you school your features to not let the others in on how you were feeling. Eddie moved without thinking and without explanation, pushing the door open of Family Video just in time to see you pull away from the store. He wanted to jump out in front of your car. Anything to make you not run off from them. From him. But Eddie watched you go. Standing out there in the parking lot was when Eddie decided he would not be going tomorrow evening. No, he couldn’t do that to you. Instead, he headed back inside to let the group know he was bailing on them. Citing something more important that he had to do and ignoring the looks from Jonathan and Nancy as they glanced at one another.

The next evening was when Eddie’s plan came into action. He knew you well enough, listened to you well enough to know you would be at home in comfy clothes, keeping to yourself. So Eddie packed himself an overnight bag and headed to your place. It was sunset, and he knew you were home. He was happy to see your car parked outside your apartment and quickly made his way to your door. He could hear you inside. It sounded like you were cooking something. He knocked on the door a couple of times. When the door opened, he grinned at the sight of you. You were in a hoodie, hair pulled into a messy bun at the top of your head. Your sweatpants were baggy and tied around your hips like you had bought mens sweatpants and were unable to keep them up. Orange socks with jack-o-lantern faces on the tops of your feet poked out from the legs of your sweatpants.

“What’s cooking?” Eddie asked, smelling something savory coming from your kitchen.

—--------------------------------

It was homemade chicken noodle soup. A comfort food for you. After the past few days, you were ready to just take time for yourself. Sometimes a self care day just makes you feel the tiniest bit better. So you planned a good meal, a bath, skin care and lots of comfort. You had chopped up all your vegetables. The usual carrots, celery, onion and garlic go into the pot. You seasoned your chicken bone broth with thyme and a sizable bay leaf. You always made more soup than one person probably needed. Usually getting a couple of bowls out of it, but you didn’t care. You had put all your veggies into the broth to simmer to soften the veggies and get some good flavor into them. You shredded up some chicken, noodles already ready to throw into the soup when it was finished. A movie played in the background as you tossed some garlic bread into the oven. Jack was just touring the hotel he would be working in for the winter. You smiled softly as you moved to your coffee table, lighting up a candle and going back to the kitchen for a drink when you heard a knock on the door. You stopped mid-stride. You certainly weren’t expecting anybody since all your friends had gone into the city to that club and you had no other friends. You frowned and approached the door carefully before leaning up on your toes for the peephole. Despite the fact that the thing was murky as hell, you could always recognize the mop of brown curls on the other side. You quickly opened the door, staring up at Eddie. At his question, you opened your mouth and closed it again. Why was he here? Shouldn’t he be with everyone else? Your eyes drifted to the bag on his shoulder.

“Uh, chicken noodle soup and garlic bread.” You answered, stepping back to let Eddie inside. He moved inside like you had expected him. There was a dull thud as his bag hit the floor. Eddie crouched down and opened up his bag, pulling out clothes. You blinked, slowly backing up into the kitchen, a little more confused now. You opened the fridge and poured yourself some water. “Water or beer?” You called out.

“Water!”

You grabbed another glass and poured Eddie some water. You shuffled back to the living room and stopped short seeing Eddie changing in the middle of your living room. “Uhh, Eds?” you tilted your head to the side. His pale skin contrasted his tattoos well. Black ink against alabaster skin portraying things Eddie had drawn up himself. Unique art on a unique human being. For never being a jock, Eddie had muscle. You’d seen the amplifiers he had picked up before, so you knew his arms were muscular before you even got this chance to ogle them. He had a little waist and a tiny bit of pudge on his stomach. It was funny to you in that moment that you admired his tummy, but you hated your own. You wanted to poke at his tummy and hug him, feel the warmth of his skin against yours and the contours of his body.

“What’s so funny?”

You moved your eyes from Eddie’s chest to his amused face. “Nothing,” you murmured and held out the glass to him.

Eddie took the glass and took a sip before humming and shaking his head. “Nope, something was definitely funny. Was it something about my chest? You were staring pretty hard.”

Your face immediately grew warm knowing that he had caught you staring at him. “I-”

“You can stare all you want, sweetheart. Take a picture if you want, too.” Eddie set his glass down and reached for his belt, undoing it faster than you had ever seen someone unbuckle and remove a belt from their person. He popped the button on his jeans next.

“Soup! Gonna… soup.” You half shouted, half mumbled before retreating into the kitchen quickly. You removed the lid from the pot and stared down into your soup as if it was the most interesting thing in the world.

When you finally got your breathing under control and you stopped picturing Eddie taking his belt off in your living room, you returned to your task of making dinner. You pulled the garlic bread from the oven and dumped the egg noodles into the pot. You reached up to grab some bowls, but another pair of hands stopped you in your tracks. Eddie grabbed the bowls, chest pressed to your back. He grabbed two of them and two small plates for the garlic bread, then set them on the counter. You swallowed thickly and wondered if he had put a shirt on. You turned your head and discovered that he hadn’t. You wiggled around until you faced him. Eddie smiled, placing his hands on the counter and trapping you in. “Not cold?” you murmured softly.

Eddie shook his head. “No, not cold,” he murmured back. One of his hands moved to your hip before sliding behind to slide up into your hoodie, touching your back.

You stared up at him, chewing on your lip thoughtfully. He stared back at you and you watched as his eyes wandered from your eyes, then down to your lips. As he leaned in, you reached up and placed your hand on his jaw, your thumb resting on his lips. “Hold on, before you distract me,” you chuckle, feeling his lower lip jut out a little under your thumb in a pout. “Aren’t you supposed to be in the city?”

Eddie’s face shifted at your inquiry. No longer pouting, he now looked a bit sad and you thought you might have hurt his feelings by making it seem like you didn’t want him there. You moved your thumb off of his lip to let him speak. “I guess? But I knew you weren’t going and I wasn’t going to go without you…” he murmured. You watched his face for a moment. He looked like he had more to say to you and you hoped your silence would soon egg him on. You nodded your head a little. “How did you do that?” he finally asked quietly after a few moments of silence.

“Do what?”

“You shut off.” You raised a brow at that. Shut off? Shut off what? “In the store the other day, Steve mentioned why they didn’t invite you. You looked upset for half a second, sweetheart, then… nothing. Like it never happened. I watched you just kinda… shut off?”

Oh. “You noticed that?” you whispered and Eddie nodded. His fingers soothingly rubbed the skin of your back.

“Yeah, I noticed that.” he answered, “What was that?”

You didn’t want to tell him. You’d learned sometimes it was far better hiding your feelings than making other people ‘deal with’ them. You didn’t want to bother anyone with your emotions. “It was nothing, really.” you waved it off but Eddie was stubborn and you knew this. So it didn’t surprise you when he shook his head.

“No, no. Not nothing. C’mon. Boyfriend time. Be honest with me and how you feel.”

You sighed. There was only so long you could go with this and you knew this. Eddie was persistent when he wanted to be. Your hands moved to his chest before settling down at his waist. “I just… hid it.” you murmured with a small shrug as if it was nothing.

“Hid it?”

“My reaction. How I felt.”

“Why?”

The simple question in and of itself stopped you. You knew why but you also knew for some people it probably was a hard thing to grasp. You took a breath and sighed. “Because it’s better to tuck it away than to let people know you’re upset. So they don’t get upset that you’re upset and have to deal with how you… I, feel.” you murmured your explanation, distracting yourself with the tattoos inked into Eddie’s chest instead of looking up at his face. “It happens. Especially when I’ve had a rough week. It just… feels easier to tuck it away for the time being.”

“And what happens when it doesn’t stay hidden away?” Eddie practically whispered his question like he was afraid of the answer.

“You wouldn’t want to see that when it happens. It isn’t pretty.”

“I’m not here for just the pretty.”

Your eyes moved up to his face. “Yeah?” your voice cracked a little and you resisted the urge to ask why he had waited all week to kiss you then if that was how he felt. Why he didn’t want to in front of everyone else. It never occurred to you that it might be for your comfort and not his own.

“Talk to me,baby. Tell me what’s happened this week.” Eddie murmured, pressing closer to you. His lips met your forehead in a soothing touch as you took a shaky breath.

“I just felt…” your lips closed again. It was nerve wracking just telling someone plainly how you felt. How you hurt.

“Go on,”

“I felt ignored this week,” you admitted softly.

“By who?” Eddie asked, pulling back so he could see your face now.

“Nancy was first. Reached out and she left me on read that’s all… there was also what happened at Family Video the other day. You and Jonathan got invited to the club and I know it isn’t my scene but it isn’t yours either but you guys got invited. Then,” you stopped. The last thing had been Eddie. Not hearing from him since the first night he was there at your apartment with you and when he did see you he had acted as if none of this was happening. It made you feel a way you didn’t want to feel again.

Eddie was too observant in his day to day life but sitting there watching your face intently as you spoke he knew not just from your trailing off into silence that there was something else but he could see it in your eyes. He gave your side a gentle squeeze as if to pull you back to him. “Then,” he murmured softly.

Your eyes moved back up to Eddie’s face. You were afraid to hurt his feelings and the urge to tell him that it was nothing was strong. The way Eddie watched you made you feel like you should just tell him. If you didn’t, you risked him acting as if nothing had ever happened again. It felt almost like being used. “I know this isn’t real.” you started, “but you… I just hardly saw you this week and I know I’m probably overthinking it like the idiot I am but I didn’t see you for so long and then we finally have a party gathering and… I don’t know. I expected something, I guess.”

“Something? Can you give me more details?” he asked, his other hand now moving to cradle the back of your head.

Band aid. Just rip it off. “Did you not want to kiss me in front of everyone else? It’s because it’s me, isn’t it?” you practically rush out.

The look on Eddie’s face has your face growing warm with embarrassment. The shock written on his face at your words like he almost couldn’t believe you had asked him that. “No! No, Y/N. It’s not because it’s you. How could you… Fuck, babe. I’d kiss you in front of all of them but I didn’t for you. Not because of you. I didn’t wanna scare you off and I also didn’t want everyone to have a million questions especially cause I had no idea what you were thinking after last week. Trust me, if I thought I could get away with it I’d make out with you in front of all of them and risk whatever would be thrown at us to make us stop.” Eddie chuckled, tucking a piece of your hair back into your bun that attempted an escape. You pouted, lightly swatting his side as he mentioned making out with you in front of the others. It made sense what he was saying. If no one else knew of your ‘arrangement’ it might seem weird it happened. Besides that, one moment you both were just friends and the next you were all over one another? You supposed it wasn’t far off. “I know you’re also not huge on public displays of affection.” Eddie added on.

You shrugged your shoulders. That was actually due in part to being on your own. Being so lonely, yearning what other people had and those experiences sometimes made it hard to see people lavish affection on one another. It usually brought on a bitter feeling and thoughts about how you would never know what that would feel like. It was better not to see it than to see it and crave what you couldn’t have. You pressed your face to Eddie’s chest and sighed, taking in his warmth. “More like jealousy than anything else,” you mumbled your confession against his skin. You’d never been this close to a shirtless man before.

“Jealousy, huh?” Eddie hummed and you could hear the smirk in his tone. “Might just have to make out with you on our first public date outting. Movies? Go real old school with it.”

“Not really old school like Skull Rock or Lovers Lake?” you tease and rested your chin on his chest.

“Oooh, you wanna go really old school, huh?” Eddie laughed and nodded his head, “We can do that.”

You felt a little better having talked it out with Eddie. The conversation didn’t go deeper after that, but even the little that you had touched on felt like a weight was lifted off of your shoulders. Eddie made you feel validated. Not that your feelings were unimportant in any way. Sometimes you knew what was upsetting you could be ridiculous and was linked to a deeper problem at the time but it was nice just to be heard. There were multiple reasons why someone might not answer their phone or decide they will answer later and just forget. You sometimes just got into these depressive episodes where it felt like everything was the issue. The smallest thing was blown up in your mind because your mind was telling you these negative things. It was why you found nights like these helpful. A good meal, some movies and self care could sometimes knock you into a good headspace to start fresh again.

After your conversation, you and Eddie took your food into the living room. You both eat in silence as you watch the movie. Every now and again, Eddie makes a comment on the film or your cooking. When the food was finished and the rest put up, you sat on the couch and knew you should move on to your other parts of the evening before it got too late. Eddie dramatically draped himself over your legs as you stretched out on your couch. He wriggled his way up until his head rested on your stomach. “So, what else do you do on these cozy nights of yours?” Eddie asked, eyes glued to the TV.

“I do some skincare, have a good bath or shower. Get all pretty and soft skinned.” you answered as you began playing with his hair. It then occurred to you that Eddie was there. You moved your hand to his face, feeling his cheek before feeling his forehead then his nose.

“Sweetheart… what are you doing?”

You giggle at his question and shrug. “Feeling your face compared to your T-zone.” you answer as if it was obvious.

“My what zone?” Eddie lifted his head to look at you.

“Your T-zone.” you poked his forehead, running your finger across his forehead, then down the bridge of his nose to form a T. “Some people are more oily in their T-zone. I was curious about your face. Do you wanna join me?”

“Are you gonna touch my zones again?”

“I’m gonna touch all over your face. Maybe your neck too.” you laughed. If you really wanted to you could spoil him by laying him down and giving him the full treatment. “Shower first though.”

Eddie immediately grinned. “Are we gonna shower together?” he wiggled his brows at you.

“I think it’s a tad early for you to see me naked.”

“Damn it.” Eddie sighed dramatically, “... you can still see me naked though.”

“You almost did show me. Remember?”

“Oh yeah… where did I throw that belt?”

—--------------------------------

Both of you took separate showers. Once you were clean, you had set out your stuff on your night table and sat on your bed. Eddie laid down on your bed with his head resting in your lap. You already had a face mask on and had diligently pulled Eddie’s hair back, strapping a headband onto him to keep his hair at bay from his face.

“So this is supposed to be good for you?” Eddie asked, eyes closed as you picked things up off of your bedside table.

“Yes, Eddie. It’s good for you.” you laughed as you wet Eddie’s face. You squirted some of your face wash into your hands and lathered it up before starting to clean Eddie’s face. You made sure to massage the cleanser into his skin. A small smile tugged at your lips feeling Eddie’s body relax further as you massaged his face. Once it was clean, you took a damp towel and wiped the cleanser off.

“Tranquilizer fingers over here.” Eddie mumbled quietly. You hummed as you started to paint a mask onto his face. “Oooh, what the fuck, is this normal?” Eddie asked, chocolate eyes open and turned up towards you.

“What’s happening?” you asked him with a frown.

“My face is tingly. Is my face gonna fall off?” his eyes were wide, concerned for the state of his face.

“Does it tingle or burn like a sunburn?”

“Tingle. It doesn’t hurt.”

You laughed and shook your head. “That’s normal, babe. If it burned then no.” you reassured him, smoothing more of the mask over his face.

“Oh thank god. My beautiful face,” he sighed dramatically. “So this relaxing stuff, you do it often?”

You nodded your head. “It helps me relax. Forget about everything that happens when it’s a bad day. Makes me feel fresh and renewed in a way. Relaxed, too.” you explained with a small shrug.

“Do you masturbate on these nights too?” Eddie chuckled, “Sounds like it’d go well together.”

You roll your eyes and nod. “Yeah, perv. That goes hand in hand too.” you laugh, gently tugging on his hair.

Eddie managed to let you finish doing a face mask on him followed by putting some hair products into his hair. You even managed to paint his nails for him. Black, of course. At the end of the night when the beauty products were put away and the dishes cleaned, Eddie crawled into bed with you. You curled up beside him, snuggling close to him as he turned the night table lamp off. You listened to his heart beat. You took a breath and shut your eyes.

“Eddie,”

“Hm?”

“Thank you for spending time with me tonight.”

“Of course, sweetheart. Anything for you.”

—---------------------------------

It was still chilly. You were thankful for it. You had been watching your curtains blowing from the breeze coming through the open window for a while now. You looked over at the clock. It was later than you usually woke up but you had the day off and you currently had a man cuddling you. You found you liked cuddling or maybe you just liked cuddling Eddie. Either way, you were content. His breath fanned over your skin every time he breathed out, very much still asleep. You had entertained the idea of getting up and making coffee but that meant moving from where you were. Comfy and warm under your covers. Eddie’s arms tightened around you as if in his sleep he was telling you not to move either. You laid there just a bit longer.

It was your need for the bathroom that finally made you move. You carefully extracted yourself from Eddie’s hold and grabbed your hoodie from last night, pulling it back on. When you slept it was like a delicate balance of temperatures. Nice and cold inside the room but you couldn’t bundle too much to sleep or you’d grow too hot. You started up some coffee and then started making scrambled eggs with sausage. Just as you were finishing up Eddie stumbled out of the bedroom. You let your eyes linger on Eddie’s shirtless form walking mindlessly towards you.

“Hi,” you laughed as he shuffled towards you.

Eddie grunted, wrapping his arms around you and leaning in. His lips pressed against yours, lingering there, pressing gentle kisses against your lips. You melted against him, kissing him back and deciding this was something you could get used to. When he pulled away you whined quietly at the loss of his lips on yours. “Hi,” Eddie answered, voice gravelly from sleep. “You make me breakfast?” he murmured as his head moved to press his face to your neck.

“Mhm,” you hummed, rubbing your hands over his back before wrapping your arms around him. “Hungry? Got coffee too.”

“So good to me,” Eddie murmured before lifting his head to kiss you again.

“C’mon,” you laughed, nudging him gently before pulling away to give him a mug.

Eddie took the mug from you and started to make his coffee. Soon the two of you were cuddled up on your couch to enjoy your breakfast together. Sitting there having coffee with Eddie felt good. It was comfortable and you found yourself thinking maybe you could get used to something like this. Maybe, just maybe, this was something you could have.

#eddie munson x reader #eddie munson fanfic #eddie munson imagine #eddie munson x you #eddie munson fanfiction

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originalaccountname · 7 months ago

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i feel like i'm in the minority here but i don't ship any characters in bsd and sometimes it's hard to find non-ship content, do you know any safe accounts to follow?

Due to the type of fandom you'll find here, 100% certified non-ship content is pretty rare. There are grey areas though, it depends on what you find is too much for you and how much you can scroll past on the regular. In that sense, my art blog @originalartblog is mainly about Dazai and Chuuya, with the occasional romantic piece, but it's mostly ambiguous relationship skk and canon-inspired jokes and art.

The bsd blogs I keep track of/follow are mostly blogs that have a notable focus on soukoku (romantic, platonic or otherwise), so I can't help much I'm afraid. Some suggestions to keep you afloat:

@justplaggin who reblogs non-ship/platonic/could-be-platonic content and posts official art, but is multifandom.

@bsd-rewatch is an ongoing rewatch of bsd's anime, so there you'll find a compilation of people's posts per episode, with the shipping-focused content tagged as such

@awkwardbsd isn't very active, but has a huge backlog of non-ship bsd content for you to scroll through

@akutagawa-daily, @the-chikyuu-times (<-multifandom) have official art

@popopretty, @nineofscans have translations

I'm opening this to people who think their blog might be interesting for Anon's preferences! Character-specific blogs, edits, screenshots, official art, platonic relationships enjoyers, etc. this is for you, come forth and shine!!!

#good luck out there anon #bsd #bungou stray dogs #bungo stray dogs #ask answered #apparently i talk sometimes

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saskia-mae · 8 months ago

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how to revise effectively

revision is a very important part of education, but many people have no idea how. in this post i'm going to outline the basics of revision. it's important to note that different subjects will require you to revise differently, there is no one size fits all when it comes to revision.

less is more- studying for 30 focused minutes is way more effective than a 5 hour study session while you watch tv.

work on exam technique- this is such an overlooked part of revising for an exam, but if you know how to answer the questions and what structures to use, it will really help you. ask your teacher or search for your exam board online to find out the best way for your subject and exam board.

manage distractions- if like me you get distracted super easily, you need to create an environment with limited distractions. this means put your phone on do not disturb, if your house/place of study is noisy put some headphones on and listen to classical music or study ambience (my favourites are the Harry Potter rooms by Asmrweekly on youtube). if you get distracted while studying by thinking of things you need to do, something that's really helped me is to have a piece of paper next to me that i can write all my thoughts on, so i can continue studying and do what i've written afterwards.

set precise goals for your study session- this helps to reduce procrastination. for example, if I put "study geography" on my to do list i'll procrastinate, but if I put "do 30 flashcards for the topic hazards" I have a clear idea of what I need to do

use the pomodoro method- having breaks is really important in keeping you engaged while you're studying. I don't follow the typical timings, but I usually do between 30-45 minutes of studying followed by a 10-15 minute break depending on how I'm feeling

utilise your study breaks- it's so easy to pick your phone up and scroll through tiktok until you realise your 5 minute break turned into a 3 hour tiktok binge. when I go on a study break, I only go on my phone to snap people back, or for a little scroll on pinterest. I also like to get some more water, grab a snack and stretch. If I'm having a longer break, I'll try to get outside and go for a walk, especially if the weather is good (in England this is about 5 days of the year haha)

now, onto different ways to revise

doing past papers

doing flashcards

making timelines

doing essay plans

making mindmaps

blurting

quizzes

if you study languages, practicing translations or specific types of questions that come up in the exam (for my exam board this is things like gap fill activities, 90 word listening or writing summaries, finding synonyms in a text etc.)

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judesmoonbeauty · 1 month ago

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Jude Jazza Route Theories Pt. 3: Stories,

The Moon Princess, & Promises ☾.

I’ve been cooking for a while (months), but because I had so many things I wanted to say and was hoping for more lore hints, I just let it simmer until it felt right. This will contain event spoilers. As usual, this is for fun, we can’t dogmatic about things, but it’s nice to theorize. I will say that this is more of a crack theory, but I think there is some basis to it. Theories are at the bottom, if you want to skip the other stuff. If you don’t agree, that’s okay, please feel free to kindly share your theories as well. This is a lengthy-ish post ☾.

Stories: "Ya expect me to fall asleep after ya give me a cup of tea 'n read me a story?" - Jude, Ghost House Report Epilogue

"Story. Tell me one.....If I listen to yer stupid stories, I think it’ll be borin’ ‘nough to sleep." - Jude, Melted by Summer Lust, 95k Bonus Story

Interestingly, twice in game, Kate tells Jude or tries to tell Jude (depending on the event) a story to help him sleep. This may not be significant at all, but since Jude's S-Rank bonus story mentioned the tiniest detail that Jude disliked the burning smell in that story, only for him to elaborate a few months later in Roger's route release CE why he hates that burning smell, I've since learned not to overlook anything. Keep this in mind as we thread along......

The Moon Princess: "The moon light illuminated behind Kate as she smiled widely, it blindsided me, 'n I felt annoyed at the sight, that she might vanish somewhere....I tug on her hand, and start walking to conceal Kate from the moonlight." - Jude, Evil Behind the Scenes, Premium End

The anxiousness that Jude felt in this scene was profound to me, I feel certain that someone left Jude behind in the glow of the moonlight, and this screams an ode to the moon princess's tale.

Admittedly, while I know there were some who felt there were hints of 'The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter', in Jude's lore, I personally didn't see it until this event was released. I'm not saying that anyone was wrong beforehand, I just couldn't personally pinpoint where some came up with the idea, so I never had an opinion on it.

For those unfamiliar with the tale, here is a synopsis: All about the little Kaguya, whom a bamboo cutter found and raised. Her body was so resplendent in a soft, bright light that it’d given off, that her adoptive parents decided to name her Princess Moonlight. In time she grew, and five suitors tried to woo her, but failed in doing so. Even the Emperor of Japan attempted a part from these five to make her his, but also failed. Eventually, Kaguya returned to the moon leaving those she loved behind, as they watch her vanish. If you want, you can read a translation of the story here.

Of note: The scroll is covered with flowers, as I’ve mentioned in my first theory post about Jude, flowers seem important to his lore. It’s a beautiful scroll. You can look at it here.

What's the point? One of the most profound things that I noticed when reading the tale of the moon princess, were the strong emotions that everyone exhibited. For example, the moon princess herself would sit out on her balcony night after night and stare dejectedly at the moon until she burst into tears. Sound familiar? Know of anyone in game that spends hours looking at the moon vacantly like they’re about to give up?

Am I saying that Jude is the moon princess?? No. What I am saying is that I feel that Cybird used the emotions from the story as inspiration of Jude’s lore. Well, I could spend hours discussing possibilities, but let’s move because we’ve got ground to cover…..

A couple of reminders:

Fairytales & Curses: Despite being cursed, Jude doesn’t pay any mind to things if they can’t be explained by science and logic. He confirms this himself in his Halloween POV epilogue. Additionally, in his bond story, he also states that he doesn’t pay much mind to curses. However, IkeVil does not shy away from the supernatural or paranormal, so Jude is often forced to face such things that he would normally dismiss.

Jude & Kate’s Past: I think we’re all on board that they 99.9% met as kids at least once during their childhood. DarkIF & GuardIF indicate this heavily, and in each of these a promise was made between the two of them. Not to mention that Ellis spills to Kate that Jude made a promise to someone long ago that requires a lot of money and manpower to accomplish. Therefore, it stands to reason that we may see them as childhood friends/acquaintances in the main story as well.

Promises: To be frank, there could be dozens or hundreds of things this promise could be and to whom it was made.

However, for simplicity sake, let's focus the theory on promises that could've been made as children between the two of them, such as meeting up again like they promised in GuardIF, or it could be that Jude promised Kate to do something that's likely impossible such as would've been the case in DarkIF. Perhaps, it's both? Maybe she made a promise to meet him again, and he promised her something impossible?

How can Stories, Princess Moonlight, Promises and other lore hints come into play......

An Honorable Mention: For what it is worth, I feel like Jude's route is going to deal with drugs in one way or another. And a part of me does feel that it could be possible that little Jude was drugged (not by choice), and suffered from hallucinations. Perhaps, in a beam of moon light, he saw the "moon princess," to whom he promises he will travel to the moon for her. Hence, his endeavors for space travel (assuming this is the case.)This is a weak theory there and we could branch of with a lot of lines of reasoning on this, but let's leave it where it is....

If we tie the fact that Kate has attempted to tell Jude stories twice to put him to sleep, along with the hints of Princess Moonlight's tale inspiring certain aspects of his route, and the fact that everything may be hinged on a promise made between them as childhood friends (a part from all the other lore hints)......

I theorize that when Jude and Kate where children, Jude probably helped Kate out, and in order to pay him back, he tells her to tell him a story since he isn't able to sleep comfortably living on the streets. Perhaps, they're sitting together somewhere under the moon light when Kate is frantically thinking of a story to that'll help the cranky baby sleep, and that's when she tells him the tale of Princess Moonlight.

Of course, fairytales are nothing, but nonsense to Jude. I could see him complaining that no one could ever live on the moon, and despite this, little Kate tells him that while that may be true, she wishes she could visit the moon one day because it was so beautiful. It could be that Jude looks at Kate in the moon light and thinks she is beautiful.

Perhaps, Jude loved Kate when they were little? True, we don't know if they even met, we are guessing at this point, but if they did meet, how many times did they meet? How long did it take for those feelings to grow, at first sight, a couple of times?

If there is any merit to any of this crack theory I'm writing, then perhaps, out of love for Kate and wanting to see her happy, Jude promises that he'll take her to the moon.

Just a simple, but rather grand promise made out of love.

Of course, it may take him at least 100 years to figure out a way to get there, but he'll take her there all the same. Unfortunately, fate wouldn't have them meet up again after that until years later. It could be that the last time Jude saw Kate was when she was saying good night to him under the moon light?

After a grown Kate clashes with Crown, Jude still trying to keep his promise of going to the moon. Why? Because a promise is a promise, even if it's a verbal one.

If they met as children, did they recognize one another at all? My guess is no. I do believe based on the IF stories, Jude will remember Kate first, and then she will follow suit. Hence, I think his trying to push Kate out of Crown will grow stronger, but eventually he will cave and let her remain with him. After all, he's let her escape once, he's not going to let her go again.

Alternatively, Kate may just try to tell Jude a story while she's at Crown castle so she can be "useful" to him, so she tells him the tale of the Moon Princess, and that strikes an angsty memory of his, and then we get an angsty side story.

Welp, that's all I've got. To be honest, it makes more sense in my head.......I can't wait to see how far off I am with this. I don't know, maybe he does think the moon princess is real???

#ikevil theories #jude jazza #ikevil jude

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talonabraxas · 4 months ago

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Cycle Of Samsara

Six Realms

Six States of Existence Six Roads of Reincarnation Six Paths of Transmigration Six Realms of Samsara Six Karmic Realms of Rebirth Six Directions of Reincarnation Six Destinies

Wheel of Life

Six Paths (Jp. = Rokudō 六道 or Rokudō-rinne 六道輪廻 or Mutsu no Sekai 六つの世界). Buddhist concept stemming from Hindu philosophies. Commonly translated in English as the “Six Realms of Karmic Rebirth.”

Long before Buddhism's introduction to India, Hindu (Brahman) beliefs and traditions held sway. One important concept was "transmigration," more commonly known in the West as "reincarnation." It holds that all living things die and are reborn again. Your rebirth into the next life will be based on your behavior in your past life. This rebirth occurs again and again. When Buddhism emerged in India around 500 BC, it too stressed this Hindu belief in transmigration, one that still plays a major role in modern Buddhist philosophy. The modern Buddhist concept of Karma is also a byproduct of ancient Hindu beliefs in transmigration and reincarnation.

Among Buddhists, all living beings are born into one of the six states of existence (Samsara in Sanskrit, the cycle of life and death). All are trapped in this wheel of life, as the Tibetans call it. All beings within the six realms are doomed to death and rebirth in a recurring cycle over countless ages -- unless they can break free from desire and attain enlightenment. Further, upon death, all beings are reborn into a lower or a higher realm depending on their actions while still alive. This involves the concept of Karma and Karmic Retribution. The lowest three states are called the three evil paths, or three bad states. The Japanese spellings of all six, plus brief descriptions, are shown below:

1.Beings in Hell. Naraka-gati in Sanskrit. Jigokudō 地獄道 in Japanese. The lowest and worst realm, wracked by torture and characterized by aggression.

2.Hungry Ghosts. Preta-gati in Sanskrit. Gakidō 餓鬼道 in Japanese. The realm of hungry spirits; characterized by great craving and eternal starvation; see below photo/link for “Scroll of the Hungry Ghosts” (Gaki Zōshi 餓鬼草紙)

3.Animals. Tiryagyoni-gati in Sanskrit. Chikushōdō 畜生道 in Japanese. The realm of animals and livestock, characterized by stupidity and servitude.

4.Asura. Asura-gati in Sanskrit. Ashuradō 阿修羅道 in Japanese. The realm of anger, jealousy, and constant war; the Asura (Ashura) are demigods, semi-blessed beings; they are powerful, fierce and quarrelsome; like humans, they are partly good and partly evil. See Hachi Bushu (8 Legions) for details.

5.Humans. Manusya-gati in Sanskrit. Nindō 人道 in Japanese. The human realm; beings who are both good and evil; enlightenment is within their grasp, yet most are blinded and consumed by their desires.

6.Deva. Deva-gati in Sanskrit. Tendō 天道 in Japanese. The realm of heavenly beings filled with pleasure; the deva hold godlike powers; some reign over celestial kingdoms; most live in delightful happiness and splendor; they live for countless ages, but even the Deva belong to the world of suffering (samsara) -- for their powers blind them to the world of suffering and fill them with pride -- and thus even the Deva grow old and die; some say that because their pleasure is greatest, so too is their misery.

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spanishskulduggery · 5 months ago

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I love scrolling through your blog because of all the great resources and explanations! I’ve been speaking Spanish with my partner (who only started learning English a year ago) everyday since 2020 but I took a little CEFR test today online and got B1, which seriously shook my confidence. How do I start filling in the gaps in my knowledge and learning all the stuff I’ll never pick up just speaking at home?

This can be difficult because it's partially skills and partially knowledge, and each person is different

(Also can be difficult when speaking with native speakers who use "incorrect" grammar aka the way they speak is correct but not how formal Spanish wants you to speak, like saying "ain't" in English isn't correct but it is what sounds natural)

Like if you take the test and you're great at everything but the listening part (that was me on my exam years ago) then it's a skill thing

Knowledge is easier to fix. It depends on what your gaps are though. There are some big things like understanding subjunctive or preterite/imperfect that are common missteps... and there are minute details that trip people up. Like they always try to make sure you know y/e or o/u

In practically every major competency exam for Spanish, you'll see something like siete _ ocho horas "seven (or) eight hours" or something equivalent and it wants you to put "or", but it should be siete u ocho horas because o "or" turns to u when it precedes a word with O- or HO-

Spanish Grammar Online: Contents (Enrique Yepes, Bowdoin)

This is what I usually recommend for people who are more intermediate because it gives an overview of the major things you should know. There are some minor things that aren't addressed though

I would also recommend WordReference, Linguee, and Contexto Reverso which are my usual go to resources for finding the right words / seeing how something is translated

Also don't knock Wikipedia in Spanish - the amount of times I've had to look up specific geographical names/spellings or especially looking up names of specific animals/plants/minerals... it's truly a lifesaver and you get to practice your reading

#asks #spanish #language #learning spanish #langblr #refs #recursos

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jinnaizaemon · 4 months ago

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Happy movie trailer day! In the meantime I'm making myself busy translating the second movie, and because I have a stupid amount of notes about that scene introducing the special Kisanta rescue team (the kids who didn't complete their homework), I thought I'd share them here. It's a bit long, so it's under the cut!

"1st year ha-class, Settsu no Kirimaru. Assigned with a book report. Planned to copy someone else’s homework. I was too busy working part time jobs!"

In the background there's a seigaiha wave pattern, which has been used since the Heian period, and so is well established already during Muromachi where Nintama takes place. Because of the unending motion of waves, it's an auspicious pattern that evokes resilience.

Then, there's of course the little coins Kirimaru loves so much ("kozeni!"). They are called eiraku-tsuho after the japanese reading of the characters 永樂通寳 on it, but back then they were commonly called eiraku-sen. They are copper coins worth 1 mon (the currency of the time) each, and they have a square hole in the middle so they can be tied to a string.

The text scrolling across the screen goes like this: 人も歩けば銭を拾う. "Even people can pick up coins if they keep walking." Looks like Kirimaru's own take on the japanese proverb "Even a dog can pick up a stick if it keeps walking.", meaning that good things are bound to happen if you keep going. 成るも成らぬも銭次第. "When there's money, there's a way." Literally "Success depends on money.", but is a spin on "when there's a will, there's a way". 銭は天下の落とし物 "Coins are what heavens dropped and left behind", literally. So something like "Coins fell from heavens' pocket." If it's a spin on a proverb, I don't know about it, sorry!

"1st year ha-class, Fukutomi Shinbei. Assigned with kanji exercises. Planned to copy someone else’s homework. Instead I ate a lot of yummy food!"

In the background are konpeitou, a type of candy introduced in Japan by Portuguese traders by the end of Muromachi.

At the time, it was an exotic and expensive product, but surely it's something Shinbei would be able to enjoy back at his family home in Sakai, whose port became a hub for foreign trade at the time due to Oda Nobunaga forming friendly relationships with the Portuguese (a missionary even gifted him konpeitou to earn his favors). So if there's one character who could afford konpeitou, it would probably be Shinbei! (I'm sure Tasogare Jinbei would love it too.)

The scrolling text reads: 地上の子の最大の幸福は満腹なれ "In a full belly lies a child of earth's chief happiness." Shinbei's own take on these verses part of Goethe's West-Eastern Divan: In sense of personal being lies A child of earth's chief happiness. 衣食足りて宿題忘るる "The poor can't afford homewowork." It comes from the japanese proverb "once fed and clothed, one learns manners", which I think in English would be "the poor can't afford manners". Literally translates to "Once fed and clothed, you forgeget about homework". Yes, Shinbei added an extra character, so the last word gets an extra vowel lol.

"3rd year ro-class, Kanzaki Samon. Assigned with farm work practice. Somehow never found the way to the assigned farm. That was homework for a 2nd year? So stupid!"

Behind him are mah-jong tiles with the characters for the fourth cardinal points on them: 北 (north), 南 (south), 東 (east), 西 (west). Obviously relating to his sense of direction.

The text reads: 進退は疑うなかれ "Don't doubt your actions." 敵を見て謀るなかれ "Do not scheme just by watching the enemy." Sadly I don't know where these lines come from. 迷わず行けよ行けば判る "Just go without hesitation; if you go, you will understand." This is taken from a quote by pro-wrestler Antonio Inoki.

"4th year i-class, Tairano Takiyashamaru. I tore the social science work I was given since it was for 1st years! I boast the best grades in my year, don’t make a fool of me!"

The rose frame evokes early shoujo manga, most notably The Rose of Versailles by Riyoko Ikeda, where roses are a recurring symbol in the story of the main characters' enduring beauty and dignity even in the hardest times. That idea of beauty, utsukushisa, is something Takiyashamaru mentions a lot, insisting on doing things beautifully always.

The scrolling text reads: 選ばれし者の恍惚と不満ふたつ我有り "I have both the ecstasy and displeasure of being the chosen one." Taken from Dazai Osamu's short story Leaves. 天才を天才たらしめるのは私の本能 My instinct makes me a genius among geniuses. His own take on a quote by Bob Dylan: "I believe that instinct is what makes a genius a genius.". He made it about himself... classic Taki...

"5th year ro-class, Fuwa Raizou. Got overwhelmed with apprehension over the science exercises aimed at 3rd years that I received. How come that homework is so easy?"

In the background are lined up onigawara. Oni is often translated as "ogre" or "demon", but originally the figure of the oni symbolizes everything that is out of human's power and influence, making them not necessarily malicious ; all events that amount to luck, fate, force of natures like earthquakes, storms, etc, Which is why you find onigawara, roof tiles made in the shape of oni, placed there in order to ward off evil and misfortune. Fuwa Raizou's name sounds similar to the yojijukugo (four kanji compound expression) 付和雷同 "fu wa rai dou" meaning "to follow others blindly". That's not very sympathetic towards ever hesitant Raizou, but the characters used to spell his name are different : 不(un-) 破(breakable) 雷(thunder) 蔵(warehouse, ownership) The unbreakable mind who puts thunder in a box, who made thunder his own. Under his indecisiveness there's a reliable senpai and protector, just like the onigawara!

Raizou has only one sentence scrolling across the screen:

お前の実力はこの程度ということなのだろうか "Could this be the extent of your ability?" I don't know if this refers to something else, the sentence being very... anime fight-speech like it makes it difficult to research haha.

"You never change, Raizou. Gave up on homework to follow Raizou. 5th year ro-class, Hachiya Saburou."

I love this transition! His introduction mirrors Raizou: He comments first, gives his reason for not doing his homework second, and shares his name last. Excuse my sloppy edit in the picture above, I wanted to include all the mask in one picture. The striped background evokes a theater curtains, and all of Raizou's onigawara are swapped with masks from Noh theater - they all represent different characters, of different archetypes, gender, etc. Some are humans, some are spirits, some are good or evil... conveying of course Saburou's mastery of disguise! I tried to name all the masks on the picture above, but I'm really no expert so I might have made mistakes. Incidentally, Ayakashimaru from 1st year ro-class is named after the "Ayakashi" Noh mask. Although they aren't pictured here, there exist masks named Fushikizou, Heita, and Magojirou.

As for the scrolling text... take a deep breath everyone because it's a lot:

比翼の鳥連理の枝一膳の箸把手共行碎啄同時 "Lovebirds flying together, intertwined branches of a tree, A pair of chopsticks, walking hand in hand, a chance opportunity."

There's.. a LOT going on here, yojijukugo and poetic imagery, so let's break it down:

比翼の鳥連理の枝 hiyoko no tori, literally birds in flight, is an expression meaning "a happily married couple". renri no eda means intertwined branches, the "renri" part refering to trees growing to become cojointed. In Japanese, such trees are seen as an auspicious symbol of marriage, and "renri" is an expression to refer to an intimate relationship.

This specific imagery is found in the Chinese poem, the Song of Everlasting Regret, telling the story of star-crossed lovers:

“In the heavens, we vow to be as two birds flying wingtip to wingtip, On earth, we vow to be as two intertwined branches of a tree.”

一膳の箸 ichizen no hashi is literally "a pair of chopsticks".

把手共行 hashukyouko means "to go together, hand in hand".

碎啄同時 sottaku douji means an once in a life time chance, a golden opportunity. It evokes two people learning and working in sync, and in Buddhism, it refers to a teacher helping a disciple attain enlightenment.

Oh...Saburou...❤️

"6th year ha-class, Zenpouji Isaku. Got an assignment for 4th years, “Steal the flag of the Tasogaredoki army”. But it didn’t count since I ripped the flag I got to make bandages out of it. It was in pieces, but I did bring back a whole flag…"

I'm not sure of what is in the background haha. The designs and the brown side remind me a lot of the matchboxes sold in the Taisho era and until mid Showa. They're known by the word for "matchbox label", 燐票, rinpyou. These matchboxes were used for advertising, notably by drugstores for selling medicine. This is at least what the designs of the boxes on the screenshot reminds me of, especially the blue Junko (the snake being associated with traditional medicine too).

The text reads: ちちんぷいぷいいたいのいたいのむこうのおやまへとんでゆけ "There, there, ouchies fly away, to the mountain over there." The whole sentence is written in the easy to read, phonetic hiragana alphabet, to match the "baby speech" tone of the sentence. The first part, chichin puipui, is used as a "spell" by parents, nurses, etc to comfort small children in pain. Then, the ouchies are sent flying away with a motion of the hand to make them feel better.

That's it for today! I hope it wasn't too long to read! Thank you for reading this far! If you have extra info, please let me know!

#nintama rantarou #translation #meta #? i guess

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